How to prepare a stained-glass pattern on iPad

Before tracing a pattern onto glass, check its finished size and label the pieces. If you print it, measure the paper copy too. A pattern can look right on the page and still be the wrong size.

Check the pattern before printing

1. Set the finished dimensions first. Choose width, height, and units before refining curves.
2. Check each piece boundary. Follow the outline and make sure you can tell where one piece ends and the next begins.
3. Review fabrication risk. Look for deep inside curves, narrow necks, and fragile shapes before cutting glass.
4. Plan foil or lead came. Construction method changes the spacing and the finished geometry.
5. Number pieces and estimate materials. The pattern should stay understandable away from the screen.
6. Export and verify scale. Print a full-size tiled PDF or use SVG for a compatible vector workflow, then measure a known reference before cutting.

What you can try in Lumenfoil

Start with the included Sunrise Poppy pattern. Tap a numbered piece to inspect it, change its shape or color, and adjust the finished dimensions. You can edit this pattern and save a PNG for free. The app does not turn a drawing or photo into a new pattern.

Check the printed size

1. Note the intended measurements. Keep the finished width and height beside you when you print.
2. Check the PDF viewer and printer settings. Choose actual size or 100% where available. Fit to Page can change the size to match the printable area.
3. Assemble tiled pages before measuring. Align the pattern across the sheets, then measure its full width and height with a ruler.
4. Stop if the measurements differ. Check paper size and scaling settings before printing again. Do not trace from a copy at the wrong size.

For example, a pattern intended to be 30 cm wide should measure 30 cm across the assembled paper copy. The number of sheets does not prove that the scale is correct.

Full-size PDF or SVG?

Choose a tiled PDF when the immediate goal is a paper pattern at real scale. Choose SVG when you need editable vector paths or a compatible cutting workflow. In either case, verify the exported dimensions and printer scaling before committing glass.

What about PNG previews?

A PNG is useful for sharing a visual preview, but an image alone does not ensure that a printer will preserve physical dimensions. Lumenfoil includes PNG export in the free workflow. Pro adds tiled full-size PDF and SVG export for the included pattern. For paper output, choose Letter or A4, print without automatic fit-to-page scaling, and measure a known reference before using the pattern.

Frequently asked questions